Physician Associate (PA) and Anaesthetic Associate (AA) briefing packs: FOI release
- Published
- 16 January 2025
- Directorate
- Chief Nursing Officer Directorate
- FOI reference
- FOI/202400438725
- Date received
- 31 October 2024
- Date responded
- 28 November 2024
Information request and response under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.
Information requested
Briefing packs about the increase in the number of physician associates (PA) and anaesthetic associates (AA) in the NHS.
Response
The Scottish Government has maintained a consistent position with regard to any future expansion of the Medical Associate Profession (MAP) workforce (the umbrella term that includes the anaesthesia associate (AA) and physician associate (PA) roles). The position, which has been agreed and publicly communicated by successive Cabinet Secretaries, is that any future expansion must be gradual and underpinned by robust evidence. To this end, the Scottish Government has convened the MAPs Programme Board to undertake the necessary work to inform further recommendations. I have therefore interpreted your request as substantial/detailed briefings relating specifically to expansion rather than reiterations of the position as part of wider briefing.
I enclose a copy of most of the information you requested in Annexes A and B. While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide some of the information you have requested because exemptions under sections 38(1)(b) and 30(b)(i) of FOISA applies to that information. The reasons why those exemptions apply to both briefings are explained below.
An exemption under section 38(1)(b) of FOISA applies to some of the information you have requested; the reason for this is because it contains personal data and its disclosure would contravene data protection principles.
This exemption is not subject to the 'public interest test', so we are not required to consider if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exemption.
An exemption under section 30(b)(i) of FOISA applies to some of the information you have requested; the reason for this is disclosure would, or would be likely to, inhibit substantially the free and frank provision of advice. This exemption recognises the need for the Minister to have a private space within which to seek advice and views from officials before reaching a settled public position (which will ultimately be informed through the MAPs Programme Board). Disclosing the content of free and frank briefing material will substantially inhibit such briefing in the future, particularly because the work is still ongoing.
This exemption is subject to the ‘public interest test’. I have considered if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exemption and have found that, on balance, the public interest lies in favour of applying the exemption. I recognise that there is a public interest in disclosing information as part of open, transparent and accountable government, and to inform public debate. However, there is a greater public interest in allowing a private space within which officials can provide free and frank advice to Ministers to explore and refine how work is to be undertaken.
Premature disclosure of this type of information could lead to a reduction in the comprehensiveness and frankness of such advice in the future, which would not be in the public interest.
To add further context, the briefings within scope of your request refer to a commission undertaken by NHS Education for Scotland. This is publicly available and can be viewed here:
Medical Associate Professions (MAPs) Commission Response (cloud.microsoft)
Additionally, the legislation to bring AAs and PAs into statutory regulation by the General Medical Council was laid in both the UK and Scottish Parliaments on 13 December 2023. Michael Matheson MSP, then Cabinet Secretary for NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care, was invited to give evidence at the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee on 16 January 2024; the briefing to support this is publicly available and can be found here (Part A, 1.3):
FOI+202400392694+-+Information+Released+-+Annex.pdf (www.gov.scot)
It may also be helpful to know that you can keep abreast of the MAPs Programme Board’s work via the following link:
https://learn.nes.nhs.scot/77069
About FOI
The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at https://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.
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Contact
Please quote the FOI reference
Central Correspondence Unit
Email: contactus@gov.scot
Phone: 0300 244 4000
The Scottish Government
St Andrew's House
Regent Road
Edinburgh
EH1 3DG
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